Allegiance
by Sereg5
Summary: If The Linear Guild had escaped from prison and met Miko before she delivered her warning of Xykon's approach, how would things have changed and would Miko have had a chance at love? Miko/Thog Created for The Crack Pairings Thread as a challenge.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: Ok. This story was the result of another challenge that I gave myself. I wanted to write a pairing between two individuals whom would battle to have a relationship with anybody, especially each other. Naturally, I've had to make some changes in order for it to work. An important change from canon is that Pompey and Leeky Windstaff changed their minds about leaving the Linear Guild. (As the rule of squickiest option must be the correct one that we had over on The Crack pairings Thread, I said that this was obviously after they realized their love for Sabine and Nale respectively.) They then broke Sabine, Nale and Thog out of prison. (I'll write a prequel about this if people are interested.) I originally only planned to write a one off for this, though I said that I'd write more if people are interested. They were. As such the fic spiralled into one of my longest fanfics to date, as well as one of the ones that I'm most proud of. So this is part one of "Allegiance" my promised Thog x Miko story._

_Disclaimer: The owner of The Order of the Stick is Rich Burlew aka The Giant, not me._

Miko encouraged Windstriker to move at full gallop. They were almost at Azure City. Suddenly, she noticed a group of travellers in her way. "Stop!" yelled the blond traveller. So she dismounted and walked over to him to find out why he had stopped her. "Web!" he cried and Miko found herself trapped in a mess of sticky silk.

"Let me pass, you fiends!" Miko snarled.  
"Hey!" answered Nale we're just looking for a new party member. We're not up to anything sinister."  
"Then why do you have an orc with you?" asked Miko.  
"My good friend Thog here is only half-orc." answered Nale, "They are a standard PC race, capable of any alignment, remember." Miko did remember that and began to look more closely at Thog. She could now see the evidence of his human blood, yet his green skin, fangs and muscular build seemed to add to it in a highly attractive way and she began to feel things that she thought were improper for a paladin of the Sapphire Guard. Yet she could not help these feelings and began to stare at the chest of this magnificent creature.  
"thog happy he has cootie shot," said Thog, "'cause blue cape girl very pretty."  
Miko began to blush. She found his lack of articulation endearing. "Anyway," continued Nale, "a paladin would be good for our opposite theme. You see, we need a new member to stop a chaotic evil halfling ranger/barbarian."  
"I will smite evil in whatever form it takes." said Miko, "Who is this halfling."  
"His name is Belkar Bitterleaf and he is from The Order of the Stick."  
"I will be glad to smite that bane of existence." answered Miko.  
"Then you are now one of us." replied Nale.

_A/N: As I said, after some encouragement, this fic spiralled, resulting in the longest fic that I had yet written, focussing not only on how a relationship between Miko and Thog could develop, but also how Miko may have seen certain other events of the comic in slightly different circumstances. I hope that you like the result._


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Alright everyone, as requested, here is part 2 of "Allegiance"._

_Disclaimer: I am not the owner of The Order of the Stick. That would be Rich Burlew aka The Giant._

After Nale dismissed the web spell, Miko said, "I have an urgent message for Lord Shojo. The Order of the Stick should still be in the city as well. We should leave immediately." Nale did not think that it was a good idea for Miko to enter the city and possibly discover that they were escaped criminals so he suggested, "If it's so urgent, perhaps we can provide a faster way. My friend Pompey here has several scrolls of sending. That would be a faster method than riding."  
"Lord Shojo's throne room is protected from such magic," answered Miko, "but perhaps your friend could contact Lord Hinjo instead."  
"Wouldn't the message seem more reliable coming from you?" asked Nale.  
"But if I fail my use magic device roll, the scroll will simply blow up in my face!" exclaimed Miko.  
"Well," answered Nale, "paladins have a lot of hit points and we have a lot of scrolls."

Hinjo ran back towards the Throne room. If the Linear Guild had escaped as Haley had claimed, then he had to inform his uncle. "Lord Hinjo," came a familiar voice. He looked up to see a transparent image of Miko with ash covering her face. She appeared to be using a magic item to communicate with him. "Miko?" he asked. Her form was following him, so he didn't bother to stop.  
"The Order lied. Xykon lives and is less than a day away with a hobgoblin army."  
"What?" he asked, "But the early warning beacons..."  
"Destroyed." answered Miko. They had reached the throne room and began to hear voices.  
"I rule a city where I have to fake senility just to avoid being assassinated." said one.

"I'd hate to think all those perfectly good lies were for naught." finished the voice.  
"Did you…?" asked Hinjo.  
"Shojo betrayed us!" snarled Miko.  
"Calm down Miko." said Hinjo. "I'll deal with this problem. You can't go in after all. Are you closer to the city than Xykon?"  
"Yes." answered Miko.  
"Good." Hinjo replied. "Stay there out of his sight for now. We may need you there. I'll send you further instructions if necessary."  
"Very well." answered Miko and she winked out of sight.

"I am required to stay here to defend my city." declared Miko to the rest of the Linear guild.  
"Then we may as well make camp." replied Nale.

That night Miko stared into the fire alone thinking about the situation in witch she had found herself. "is blue cape girl scared?" asked a voice. Miko turned around to see Thog. "Paladins don't feel fear," answered Miko, "but I am worried for my city."  
"thog good at fighting armies." replied Thog, "thog like to protect puppies. thog protect city for you." Miko smiled at that.  
"Thank you Thog." she answered, "That makes me feel better."  
"thog happy blue cape girl feel better." said Thog, "thog like blue cape girl. thog want to pet blue cape girl like puppy." Miko leaned into Thog and replied, "I think that I'd like that too."


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: And here we have part three._

_Disclaimer: I do not own The Order of the Stick. Rich Burlew aka The Giant does._

Miko watched as the hordes of hobgoblins prepared for battle. She saw the catapults fire the elementals at the walls and how they were breached. "The walls have failed!" she cried. Then she noticed a red-clad figure dismissing the elementals. "It's the elf from the Order of the Stick!" she exclaimed. Hinjo had clearly not understood her message. The Order were agents of the evil Xykon. They would aid Xykon in taking the city! They had to be stopped.

Hobgoblins and undead headed for the breaches. She had to aid in the city's defence. "Nale, I'm heading to the walls!" she yelled and ran towards the opening. "Prepare for battle, horde of evil!" she screeched as she drew her katana and wakizashi and ran into their midst. These soldiers were far below her level. She cut a path through them easily, but she was still being injured. After one such injury she heard a voice cry, "you hurt blue cape girl! thog like blue cape girl! thog rage!" A blur of green swept past her and dismembered limbs and heads went flying through the air. Thog was doing this for her. She felt touched but before she could do anything else, Xykon appeared over the wall, riding a dragon. After killing Sangwaan, his partner Greenhilt had jumped aboard. "Thog I've got to get into the city!" Miko yelled.  
"thog come with you!" he replied. The breach was guarded by giant soldiers whom were picking off the hobgoblins as if they were nothing. At least that seemed to be working, but wait, next to the breach there was …another Xykon? Some kind of demonic trickery was at work here. The other Xykon rode his undead steed through the breach and decapitated the soldiers. Her duty was clear.

By the time she cut her way though to the breach, only this Xykon and his minion, the wicked elf, were left. She had to avenge her people. "Smite evil!" she cried bringing down her katana onto his skull.  
"Ow!" he yelled, "Ooh, a paladin. This will be good. And I see you've brought someone else with you. Excellent. More lives to slay." Miko turned and saw Thog enter the breach. He was still fighting for her. She ran up to him and cried, "No, Thog! It's too dangerous! This is my duty!"  
"How touching." sneered the Xykon near the elf.  
"You are on first name terms with the idiot half-orc?" questioned the elf.  
"None of your business, minion of evil!" snarled Miko.  
"I find this highly ironic, yet I fail to appreciate it." the elf commented. Suddenly a dragon's head fell from the sky and crushed this Xykon. "A miracle from the twelve gods!" gasped Miko. "Now I only have to deal with you!" The elf was starring at the sky and said, "I believe that there are other problems of a more immediate concern." before pointing up. Another Xykon was flying towards the castle. "He's heading for the throne room!" gasped Miko and she ran after him.  
"thog come with you!" came a voice from behind.

"Lord Shojo!" exclaimed O-Chul from the throne room, "How did you get here?"  
"The prisons are destroyed." answered Shojo, "It was easy to escape. I am not going to sit in prison while the gate is at risk. I am going to sit on my throne and if Xykon kills me, perhaps it will have delayed him a little and I don't have much of a life left anyway, being an old man in prison. Now stand aside, all of you, so I can sit down."

Miko was worried. The path that she had originally chosen through the castle was blocked by debris and they had to take another route. It had significantly delayed them. When they arrived at the throne room she saw the traitorous Lord Shojo covered in blood and surrounded by the bodies of dead paladins. O-Chul was poised to strike the gate but for some reason wasn't moving. Then she heard the voice of Xykon. They were defeated! "Thog, smash the gem in the throne, now!" she ordered. "No, don't Miko!" groaned the obviously critically wounded Shojo, but Thog's axe swing through the air and hit its mark. Light. Colour. Sound. There were too many sensations. She was flying through the air. She hit the ground. The pain was everywhere.


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: Alright, the promised part 4 of "Allegiance":_

_Disclaimer: The Order of the Stick belongs to Rich Burlew aka the Giant ie. not me._

Miko groaned and tried to get up. It was difficult so she placed her hands on her stomach and muttered, "Lay on hands." Above her was the transparent image of Soon Kim.  
"Miko," he said, "I cannot stay for long, but I must warn you. You have been treated leniently by the twelve gods due to your ignorance. This will not last for much longer. Unless you give up your ridiculous vendetta against The Order of the Stick and realize your mistakes so that you can pursue your true duty to your people and fight your true enemies you will fall."  
"But the Order are servants of the evil Xykon!" cried Miko.  
"If you refuse to listen to reason and re-examine your judgments, Miko," answered Soon, "then I cannot help you." With that, he faded away.

After she had pondered Soon's warning, she noticed a green body lying on the ground. His axe had wedged into his shoulder in addition to his wounds that were similar to those that she had received. She pulled out the axe and placed her hands upon him. "Lay on hands." she said.  
"blue cape girl make me feel good." said Thog happily. Before they could do anything else, Nale arrived, riding on a bear followed quickly by Sabine and Pompey. After Nale dismounted, the bear transformed into Leeky. "We've been looking all over for you." said Nale, "What is that?" He indicated a large purple anomaly in the sky.  
"That is the rift." answered Miko, "It was released when we destroyed the gate to stop Xykon from controlling it." Nale thought for a minute.  
"Are there other gates?" he asked.  
"Yes." answered Miko.  
"Will Xykon try to get to one of those?" Nale asked.  
"Probably," answered Miko, "he can't use this gate to release the abomination anymore so he'll probably try somewhere else. When he does, we'll have to stop him."  
"Honey," said Sabine suddenly, "may I speak to you for a second?"  
"Alright." said Nale and they disappeared around a corner. After a couple of minutes, Nale returned alone. "Sabine had to stop off home." he announced.  
"I don't understand…" began Miko.  
"Don't worry about it." said Nale, "The city has fallen. They're evacuating in ships right now. We'll go to the next gate to take on Xykon and The Order there."  
"But if they're evacuating," said Miko, "shouldn't I be aiding my people either in the evacuation or here in the city?"  
"No," answered Nale, "as you said, The Order must be stopped, and this is the best way to do it."  
"Alright." said Miko and they headed out of the city.

_A/N: I wanted to make it longer, but I had to check some stuff first. Incidentally, there was some confusion about part of this update. The bear was Leeky in wildshape._


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: Alright I checked the necessary detail and I was right, so here is part 5 of "Allegiance":_

_Disclaimer: The owner of The Order of the Stick is not me. It is Rich Burlew aka The Giant._

The Linear Guild had decided to set up camp just outside the city as it would be dark soon. After they had finished, Miko cried out. Her uniform had changed colour to a dull beige. "blue cape not blue anymore." said Thog.  
"I don't understand." said Miko, "I'm doing the right thing aren't I?" She turned around and saw that Hinjo's junk had left the harbour. "They've finished evacuating the city. Was I supposed to go with them?"  
"No," answered Nale, "You are doing the right thing. You'll be able to atone for letting the city fall by defeating The Order of the Stick."  
"Yes," replied Miko, "if I defeat The Order of the Stick, the gods will take me back."

That night Miko entered Thog's tent. "blue cape girl?" he queried.  
"I'm scared Thog." said Miko, "It's been so long since I've been scared. I've always had the twelve gods, but now they've abandoned me. I feel so alone. Could you hold me?" Thog held out his arm and Miko cuddled into his chest as he swung it protectively around her. "thog like holding blue cape girl." replied Thog, "it feel good, like petting puppy."  
"I really like you, Thog." said Miko, "You make me feel safe. You make me feel like a person. Like a women, instead of a servant of the twelve gods. I…I want to kiss you, Thog." She pressed her lips against his. He seemed surprised, but he responded hungrily. They began to undress and Miko knew that for the first time in many years, she was doing something not as her duty to the twelve gods, but for herself, because she wanted to.

_A/N: I haven't planned further than this but it shouldn't be difficult to convince me to continue or to write other things canon to "Allegiance" like the afore-mentioned prequel. If I do write more of it though, it will be slower as I have plot to plan, work to do and I want to try some other pairings._


End file.
